Method of treating rawhide and the product resulting therefrom.



at Baltimore, State of Maryland, have inextent found in the rawhide in its normal exposed to such temperate heat until the To all whom itmay concern Well as elastic pro erties and adaptability,

. dried it has great density and hardness, its

water pipes, and by them or otherwisesub- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT H. HENDERSON OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE HENDERSON RUBBER COMPANY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A. CORPORATION MARYLAND.

No Drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

Application filed February 1, 1912,. Serial No. 674,681.

Be it known that I, ALBERT HENDER- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing vented new and useful Improvements in- Methods of Treating Rawhide and the Product Resulting Therefrom, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates, first, to treating rawhide in a manner producing novel con ditions in its body or substance; secondly, to a product resulting from such treatment and having great strength and tenacity as by its possession o vulcanizing ingredients, for union or amalgamation withrubber or its recognized substitutes; and, finally, to. a composition of matter including a rawhide body the permanently enlarged pores of which are charged with oil beyond the condition and possessed of vulcanizing substances, combined or impregnated with rubber or a recognized rubber substitute, the latter being vulcanized.

Referring first to the method of treatment, the rawhide as the basic element is first taken in its natural state in' which when induration. being then almost equal to that of rock or steel. The rawhide in such nor mal stateis first placed in a suitable moi stening device of the humidor class for a length .of time suflicient to render it somewhat flexible and elastic, after which it is cut into slugs o'r-strips, or brought to fragmentary, granulated or shredded COIldllZiOIl. This aving been done, the hide in such comminuted form is transferred to a vessel containing a solution of water and salt, the latter being in the proportion of five per cent. or thcrcabout. This vessel is surrounded by or combined with steam or hot jected. to a slow gentle heat, or the vessel may be placed in a second vessel of water hide has considerably and permanently-ex panded or been brought to a porous or spongy condition. After this, the rawhide having been measurably dried suitable means, is placed in a revblving perforated cylinder and slowly heated in the presence of vegetable or animal oils, remaining imthese generic terms,

mcrsed therein and in a state of rotation until it has become soft and plastic. The oils may be of'any kind comprised under The choice must depend upon certain conditions, as the rigidity and density of the rawhide which varies in the animal kingdom..

While I wish it to be understood that vegetable or ,animal oils, broadly, or their derivatives, are applicable to my purpose, such a constituent as glycerin preferably mixed with salt and water, and Turkey red and creosoted oils or their derivatives, may be named as having been found especially so.

This operation is continued for from five to nine hours, during which all the natural fluidity or moisture found in the hide, as Water or otherwise, having greater volatility than oil, is dissipated, while the pores of the hide absorb a great percentage of the oils in which the cylinder revolves. The treated rawhide, having its-pores charged with oil, and its particles in a measure reunited, is nowsubjected to cutters or agitators, and thereby reducedto small grains and shreds, which are thereafter thoroughly mixed and kneaded by suitable machinery, the blend amalgamating, coalescing or uniting as one substance. This is now run through heated rolls in the presence of an admixture of sulfur and other, vulcanizing agents. The mass is then rolled out by calenders or hot presses by which it is shaped to the demands of general use in manufacture, and especially for union with rubber. The product which is the result ofsuch treatment is possessed of great'toughness, durability and elasticity, and forms in itself an article of natural products. ,Furthermore, with the rubber, however used, any of these substitutes or reclaimed rubbers, in smaller or larger quantities, may be enfployed. By the term reclaimed rubbers'is meant real rubber once vulcanized, and from which sulfur and. other substances have been removed,

the residue having been worked up into a found therein in its normal and undried condition, its flexibility conforming in character to that of the rubber withwhi'ch it is combined. The unified mass therefore possesses that toughness, tenacity, flexibility and elasticity which give to it an extended field of usefulness in the arts.- The vulcanizing ingredients not only fit the treated rawhide for' union or amalgamation with rubber, but seal its opened pores and consequently prevent the escape or dissipation of the oil with which the rawhide is virtually impregnated. Therefore the new principle or character 'of resiliency and elasticity imparted to the body-remains without change or deterioration.

Having thus described my invention, I claim f 1. The herein described method which consists in rendering natural rawhide flexible and elastic under the influence of moist heat; dividing the substance thus treated into particles; subjecting them to a heated solution of salt and water the former in a state of plasticity and comparative coalescence and all fluidity or moisture, having greater volatility than the oil, is dissipated thus allowing the substance toabsorb' the latter; again reducing the particles and mixing and kneading the same; subjecting the mixedand kneaded mass to heat and pres:

sure in the presence of vulcanizing agents,

and finally forming into sheets.-

2. The herein described substance or com-. position 'of ,matter consisting of particles of rawhide rendered flexible; and elastic, charged with oil, unified, and combined with vulcanizing agents.

3. The herein described substance orcomposition of matter consisting of particles of rawhide rendered flexible and elastic, charged with oil, unified, coated and sealed with vulcanizing agents, and combined with rubber.

In testimony whereof I aflix my-signature in presence of two witnesses.

- ALBERT H. HENDERSQN. Witnesses:

C. B. BULL,

CHARLES LOWELL HOWARD. 

